Sudden chicken death

[Sindylue]

Thank you for the answers. I am looking into the information I recieved.

 

[katkim22]

Hi Eureka chick, I too lost a chicken last night. She was in my sand arena lying very quietly only for me to discover she was dead. She is a Rhode Island and just over 10 months old. I have a small flock (10 well now 9) and too have not had deaths. I checked her over and no wounds, no feathers around to indicate a fight, nothing? and, as you stated, she was running around free ranging with the flock like a happy camper. I put them in a coop at night to avoid bobcats, racoons, mountain lions etcl but let them out in the morning. they eat only organic food and are very healthy. the old time ranchers around me just say to watch the rest of the flock and sometimes it just happens particularly in the heat.

If you find out anything please let me know. I am in Vacaville and close to Davis so I might check into options there.

Kathie

 

[Faybeau]

norhing new to report .... none of our other chickens died or have had any health issues! All I can think of is the Sudden Death of our Buff was an anomoly. I did put all the other chickens on Lock-Down, just to be sure they hadn't been exposed to a poison plant or had some strange illness. After a week, they were back to Free Ranging totally happy & healthy.
So sorry to hear about your experience. It is disturbing to have something like this happen when we are doing our best to take good care of our girls!
Regards,
Faye

 

[katkim22]

I know I'm right there with you Faye, I let them out this morning and are all were waddling around happily so I have the same philosophy you do that it is an anomaly or the other girls would show symptoms! Kathie

 

[casportpony]

Hi Eureka chick, I too lost a chicken last night. She was in my sand arena lying very quietly only for me to discover she was dead. She is a Rhode Island and just over 10 months old. I have a small flock (10 well now 9) and too have not had deaths. I checked her over and no wounds, no feathers around to indicate a fight, nothing? and, as you stated, she was running around free ranging with the flock like a happy camper. I put them in a coop at night to avoid bobcats, racoons, mountain lions etcl but let them out in the morning. they eat only organic food and are very healthy. the old time ranchers around me just say to watch the rest of the flock and sometimes it just happens particularly in the heat.

If you find out anything please let me know. I am in Vacaville and close to Davis so I might check into options there.

Kathie

Sorry for your loss. Necropsies for those of us in CA are free at UC Davis. If you're close enough you could drop her off or you could use their FedEx number and ship her overnight for pretty cheap.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Davis info:
http://www.cahfs.ucdavis.edu/

How I ship them:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures

-Kathy

 

[Cebe51]

Sorry to hear a about your chickens, my little hen was fine this morning and died suddenly this afternoon. She was the hen who wasn't laying and was crowing. We're so sad as we had her since she was few weeks old! She wasn't even 4 years old. Just trying to understand if she died of a heart attack, stroke or what? I have 2 other hens and I'm concerned for them. Could it be the dirt I bought for my succulents and Palm? I have dirt, plants all over the yard and never had a problem before...Im just so sad!

 

[Faybeau]

So distressing!
I have a friend who lost her favorite hen (3 years old) to SDS. She had her vet do a 'post-mortem'; the conclusion was, the hen died of suffocation due to an infestation of type of worm (Gapeworms) which invade the windpipe.
The vet provided her with medication to treat her flock ..... she hasn't lost any others since treating them.
Perhaps you can look up "Gapeworms" and watch for symptoms in your other chickens?
There are several different types of Round & Flat worms that can infest your flock causing various types of problems (minor to very serious). Good to know about and watch for.....